Wiring connector



Jan. 5, 1965 E. ADAMS 3,164,433

WIRING CONNECTOR Filed March 12, 1962 IN VEN TOR.

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ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,164,433 WIRING CONNECTOR Lester E.Adams, Oak Creek, Wis., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit,Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 179,071 6Claims. (Cl. 339-258) This invention relates to spring wire connectingclips, and more particularly to a clip for electrically connecting anelectrical conductor to an electric terminal post.

In the design, manufacture and use of many electrical components it isoften necessary to temporarily connect an electrical conductor to anelement. Under such circumstances it is desirable to have a connectingfastener which is simple to operate and inexpensive to obtain. Forexample, a typical element is provided with terminal posts, and it maybe necessary to use such an element in a laboratory or otherinstallation or to test the element under some conditions. It would bedesirable to temporarily connect an electrical conduit to one of theterminal posts. In so doing it is most eflicient if the fastening devicepermits a quick connect and disconnect of the conductor with respect tothe post but wh ch is positive in its retention and will conductelectricity properly.

There are many devices available permitting the quick connect anddisconnect of conductors to terminal posts, most of which are extremelycomplicated and require a complicated means for securing the fastener tothe terminal post. This wastes time and etfort of the operator and suchfasteners are relatively expensive.

The device in which this invention is embodied comprises, generally, aconnector clip having an extremity receivable over the terminal post anda bow portion which extends over the terminal post and is reversely bentto engage the terminal post and clamp the terminal post between the bowportion and the terminal post engaging extremity. The clip is resilientto permit the bow portion to bend at a point spaced from the terminalpost so that such movement causes the locking member to move in an areout of engagement with the terminal post. Furthermore, the constructionis such that the conductor cannot disengage the clip from the terminalpost under ordinary conditions. The clip is extremely simple to operateand provides a fast connect and disconnect from the terminal post whendesired. The connector clip is inexpensive to manufacture and provides apositive and efficient connector between a conductor and a terminal ost.P These and other advantages will become more apparent from thefollowing description and drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of an installation showing an electrical element withthe connector clip secured in place;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the installation of FIGURE1, illustrating more clearly the connection of the connector clip to theterminal post;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged end view of a portion of the installation ofFIGURE 1, illustrating the connection of the connector clip to theterminal post; and

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view of the connector clip illustrated inFIGURES 1-3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, an electrical conductor isshown connected to an electrical element 12 by means of a spring wireconnector clip, illustrated generally by the numeral 14. Element 12 isshown to include a pair of terminal posts 16 and 18 having enlargedflattened portions 20 and 22, respectively. Flattened portions 20 and 22may be provided with some sort of wire engaging means, the preferableform being apertures 24 and 26, respectively. However, such means may beeliminated and the wires to be .connected thereto may be soldered. Forillustration purposes, apertures 24 and 26 are shown.

Electrical conductor 10 is shown to include an electrically conductingwire 28 surrounded by suitable insulating material 36). Adjacent theconnector clip 14 the insulation material 30 isstripped from the wire 28to portion 21) of terminal post 16. This permits proper location of theconnector clip 14 relative to the terminal post, as will becomehereinafter more apparent. Following the U-shaped portion 38 a finalreversely bent section 40 paralleling reversely bent portion 36completes the extremity of shank 34.

Extending from the opposite end of shank 34, that is, the right-hand endas viewed in FIGURE 1, is a bow portion 42 extending over the shank 34and arcuately downwardly toward the terminal post 16. Bow portion 42terminates in a reversely bent section 44 which provides a lock armadapted to engage the flattened portion 20 to seat in the aperture 24 ifsuch aperture is provided.

It may be noted from viewing FIGURE 1 that bow portion 42 is bendableabout the end of shank 34. It is also noted that the pivot or bend pointis located in a plane above the plane containing the lock arm 44. As thebow portion 42 is lifted upwardly the lock arm 44 will travel in anarcuate direction, with the center of the are being at the pivot or bendjuncture of the bow portion 42 and shank 34. This causes the lock arm 44to move away from terminal post 24, that is, toward the left andupwardly as viewed in FIGURE 1, upon disengagement of the connector clip14 from the transistor 12. Upon connection it is seen that the oppositeresult takes place and that the lock arm 44 travels downwardly andinwardly to snap into place in fitting engagement against the enlargedportion 20 or in aperture 24 if such is provided.

It mayalso be noted that a pull on the shank portion 34, as by the wire28, will not disengage lock arm 44 from the terminal post 16. Such apull will be translated directly tothe terminal post through the shank34 and will not unseat the lock arm 44. An upward pull on shank 34 willcause the bow portion to are inwardly, more firmly seating the lock arm44 in aperture 24, because of the engagement of lock arm 44 with theterminal post. Thus, it is necessary only to handle the bow portion 42of the connector clip 14 for engagement or disengagement with theterminal post 16. The terminal post is clamped between the U-shapedportion 38 of the shank 34 and the lock arm 44 of the bow portion 42,providing the proper electrical connection and securely retaining theconnector clip 14 on the terminal post 16. This creates an efiicient,quick connecting and disconnecting installation for use with terminalposts extending from electrical elements.

It is, of course, understood that the material of which the connectorclip 14 is manufactured is a proper electrical conductor to conveyelectrical current from the wire 28 to the terminal post 16.Furthermore, if some insulation means is required, any portion of clip14 may be suitably covered except for those sections engaging wire 28and the terminal post 16.

What is claimed is:

1. A fastener installation comprising:

a ring-shaped member;

and a clip including a shank portion, a ring engaging member extendingfrom one end of said shank portion and bent such that it formspositioning loops which extend over said ring-shaped member and engagesaid ring-shaped member on both faces thereof with the faces of the ringsubstantially peri, of said ring engaging member and presses into andagainst said ring-shaped member in a direction substantially parallel tosaid shank portion to secure said clip to said ring-shaped member.

5. A fastener installation suited for mechanical connections comprising:

a ring-shaped member being adapted to be used as one member of saidmechanical connection;

and a one-piece clip suitable as the other member of said mechanicalconnection including a shank portion, a ring engaging member extendingfrom one end of said shank portion and bent such that it forms guidependicular to the shank portion, and a spring portion 5 extending fromthe other end of said shank portion alongside the shank portion andformed such that it bows back relative to the shank portion and extendsbetweensaid positioning loops of said ring engaging member and pressesinto and against said ring-shaped member in a direction substantiallyparallel to said shank portion to secure said clip to said ring-shapedmember. loops adjacent to said ring-shaped member and posi- 2. Afastenerinstallation comprising: tioning loops which extend over saidring-shaped a ring-shaped member; member and engage said ring-shapedmember on and a one-piece clip including a shank portion, a ring bothfaces thereof with the faces of the ring subengaging member extendingfrom one end of said stantially perpendicular to the shank portion, anda extending from the other end of said shank portion alongside the shankportion and formed such that it bows back relative to the shank portionand extends spring portion extending from the other end of said shankalongside the shank portion and formed such that it bows back relativeto the shank portion and extends between said guide loops and saidpositioning loops of said ring engaging member and presses into andagainst said ring-shaped member in a direction substantially parallel tosaid shank portion to secure said clip to said ring-shaped member.

between said positioning loops of said ring engaging member and pressesinto and against said ring-shaped member in a direction substantiallyparallel to said a ring-shaped member being adapted to be used as oneshank portion to secure said clip to said ring-shaped member of saidelectrical connection;

member. and a one-piece clip suitable as the other member of 3. Afastener installation comprising: said electrical connection including ashank portion, a ring-shaped member; a ring engaging member extendingfrom one end of and a one-piece clip including a shank portion, a ringsaid shank portion and bent such that it forms guide 6. A fastenerinstallation suited for electrical connections comprising:

engaging member extending from one end of said shank portion and bentsuch that it forms guide loops adjacent to said ring-shaped member andpositioning loops which extend over said ring-shaped member and engagesaid ring-shaped member on both faces thereof with the faces of the ringsubstantially perpendicular to the shank portion, and a spring portionextending from the other end of said shank portion alongside the shankportion and formed such that it bows back relative to the shank portionand extends between said guide loops and said positioning loops of saidring engaging member and presses into and against said ring-shapedmember in a direction substantially parallel to said shank portion tosecure said clip to said ring-shaped member.

loops adjacent to said ring-shaped member and positioning loops whichextend over said ring-shaped member and engage said ring-shaped memberon both faces thereof with the faces of the ring substantiallyperpendicular to the shank portion, and a spring portion extending fromthe other end of said shank alongside the shank portion and formed suchthat it bows back relative to the shank portion and extends between saidguide loops and said positioning loops of said ring engaging member andpresses into and against said ring-shaped member in a directionsubstantially parallel to said shank portion to secure said clip to saidring-shaped member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 4. Afastener installation suited for mechanical and electrical connectionsComp is g 1 51 53121 A ZZ a ring-shaped member being adapted to be Usedas (me 1 1 037 s h fidt m D 28 1915 member of said Conne tion; 1 204 902P k i k N 14 1916 and a one-piece clip suitable'as the other member of1458543 Pflkin to S 1923 said connection including a Shank po io a g 551 i n Sp it 1 195 engaging member extending from o end of Said 1 a i i giz 19:9 hank portion and bent such that it rm guide IOOPS 2 B0 b u A e i6 9 8 adjacent to said ring-shaped member and p it n- 2224161 Rj m lgerD in 1 3 ing loop-s which extend over said ring-S ap d 2,284,004 gda M 6i3 bar and engage said ring-shaped member on bo h 60 2391428 y 2 42faces thereof with th faces of the ring substantially 2594661 1 ec- E1945 perpendicular to the shank portion, and a spring 2,948,940 mannApr. 9, 1952 portion extending from the other end of said shank egener BAug. 1960 alongside the'shank portion and formed such that REI N PATENTS1 it bows back relative to the shank portion and extends 4 9 500 FrancaOct 5 1918 be said guide hops and Said positioning loops 151,349 GreatBritain se r. 20 1920

1. A FASTENER INSTALLATION COMPRISING: A RING-SHAPED MEMBER; AND A CLIPINCLUDING A SHANK PORTION, A RING ENGAGING MEMBER EXTENDING FROM ONE ENDOF SAID SHANK PORTION AND BENT SUCH THAT IT FORMS POSITIONING LOOPSWHICH EXTEND OVER SAID RING-SHAPED MEMBER AND ENGAGE SAID RING-SHAPEDMEMBER ON BOTH FACES THEREOF WITH THE FACES OF THE RING SUBSTANTIALLYPERPENDICULAR TO THE SHANK PORTION, AND A SPRING PORTION EXTENDING FROMTHE OTHER END OF SAID SHANK PORTION ALONGSIDE THE SHANK PORTION ANDFORMED SUCH THAT IT BOWS BACK RELATIVE TO THE SHANK PORTION AND EXTENDSBETWEEN SAID POSITIONING LOOPS OF SAID RING ENGAGING MEMBER AND PRESSESINTO AND AGAINST SAID RING-SHAPED MEMBER IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLYPARALLEL TO SAID SHANK PORTION TO SECURE SAID CLIP TO SAID RING-SHAPEDMEMBER.